CVE-2026-72005: Linux kernel · wifi: rt2x00: avoid full teardown before work setup in probe
Affects Linux kernelSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in eb7474d0253bb2de4793e1d3ce833e8564bbe732 : patch Linux kernel soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 13:07 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 5% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation
- No evidence of active exploitation and no public proof of concept
- Automatable
- Attackers cannot reliably automate steps 1–4 of the kill chain
- Technical impact
- Total control over the software or total information disclosure
CISA SSVC assessment, 2026-10-16.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in eb7474d0253bb2de4793e1d3ce833e8564bbe732, 816559409e340acaa5c9d868291dab30d8c80263, 56994852d704535ea354a4627ca667b1b4fa0deb +5
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 15 Aug 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade to a fixed release listed under Affected software.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
| LinuxLinux | Affected
| Fixed in
|
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: wifi: rt2x00: avoid full teardown before work setup in probe rt2x00lib_probe_dev() uses the full rt2x00lib_remove_dev() teardown for all probe failures. However, drv_data allocation and workqueue allocation can fail before intf_work, autowakeup_work and sleep_work have been initialized. Do not enter the full remove path until the probe has reached the point where those work items are set up. Return directly for drv_data allocation failure, and use a small early cleanup path for workqueue allocation failure. This issue was found by our static analysis tool and then confirmed by manual review of rt2x00lib_probe_dev() and rt2x00lib_remove_dev(). The early probe exits should not call a common teardown path that assumes the later work setup has already completed. A QEMU PoC forced alloc_ordered_workqueue() to fail before the work initializers are reached. The resulting fail path entered rt2x00lib_remove_dev(), and DEBUG_OBJECTS reported invalid work drains with rt2x00lib_probe_dev() and rt2x00lib_remove_dev() in the stack.
References
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/8b58d1f1356df6a7d2de3f55bb665b18b04ffda0 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/59afe6148927395cf86f9429900e029a48b1d42b (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/3c0427d719bddb33caf18ff4ffb77cb47de7eb00 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/eb7474d0253bb2de4793e1d3ce833e8564bbe732 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/66bd9b1a72de7c2f5141b02d796048aafaed8a49 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/816559409e340acaa5c9d868291dab30d8c80263 (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/56994852d704535ea354a4627ca667b1b4fa0deb (opens in a new tab)
- git.kernel.org/stable/c/536fb3d739d75a03cb318c0c6fe799425cfea501 (opens in a new tab)